¿Battling Blears bounces back to secure victory

Newly-elected MP Hazel Blears has vowed to protect public services and work for the people of Salford and Eccles. Ms Blears was elected with a majority of 5,725 over her nearest rival, Liberal Democrat Norman Owen.

Newly-elected MP Hazel Blears has vowed to protect public services and work for the people of Salford and Eccles.

Ms Blears was elected with a majority of 5,725 over her nearest rival, Liberal Democrat Norman Owen.

A vast press posse had gathered thinking that another former Cabinet minister’s scalp could be taken.

But Ms Blears defied her legion of doubters to win over the Salford electorate, polling more than 40 per cent of the popular vote.

Hazel Blears said: “I’m really grateful to the people of Salford and Eccles for re-electing me as their MP.

“I promise to work hard to be a strong voice for the local people in parliament and to protect our health, education and police services.”

Ms Blears also said she was ‘pleased’ by the local election results for Salford City Council.

She said: “I am delighted that we have elected four new Labour councillors. Every single council seat in my constituency was won by Labour.”

Hazel was caught in a fire storm of bad publicity including the MPs expenses scandal and resigned from her Cabinet post as Communities Secretary on the eve of the European elections in June last year.

But quitting the government gave her the freedom to rediscover her roots. She campaigned to save a Pendleton pub and L S Lowry’s old house.

Liberal Democrat contender Norman Owen, a respected local councillor, was beaten by Blears for the fourth time.

He achieved a 9.4 per cent swing to gain a respectable second place.

The crest-fallen Mr Owen said “What annoys me is the apathy of the people in Salford.

“It was a golden opportunity to get rid of a Labour candidate who brought disrepute on the political system and the name of Salford.”

Third was the Conservative candidate who polled a respectable 8,497 votes. In 2005, under the old Salford constituency, the Tories only managed 3,440 votes. David Henry, aged 26, a part-time youth community worker carried the torch for the Hazel Must Go campaign. Henry polled 730 votes - around two per cent of the popular vote.